The Structure and History of English

The course covers modern analyses of the phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics of American English, and the historical developments that led it through the stages of Old,Middle, and Modern English. It describes how English sounds are produced; how they are grouped mentally and influenced by spelling; how new words are formed, slang terms are coined, and terms are borrowed and lent; how English sentences are structured; and how meaning is influenced by situation, culture, and context. It includes a description of how English changed over time, from the Great Vowel Shift to the development of modern regional and social dialects, standard American English, and the recent emergence of World Englishes. It provides students with an understanding of how the rules, patterns, and characteristics that constitute standard spoken and written American English evolved. (This course is cross-listed with COM 3750. Students will receive credit for either ENG 3750 or COM 3750, not both. These courses may not substitute for each other in the F grade replacement policy.)